Overwatch: Anchored
by thecalrog
Summary: Follow Lena as she morphs from lovable RAF prodigy to the determined and steely-eyed Overwatch agent in this four part exploration of Overwatch's final years.
1. Chapter 1: Origins

The barracks was quiet tonight, the lowly hum of a brand new halogen bulb reverberated from the walls and only the consistent staccato of my keyboard interrupts them, damn, you can tell I'm bored. As far as new year's go, this is probably on the uh… shit side. I'm a high ranking military officer, a Captain, overseeing Overwatch's little pet projects and I'm stuck out here in the middle of the British Antarctic territories waiting for one of the RAF's finest. The eggheads are good enough company; Sikes is a laugh and the most normal lad on the team but the others? Man, there's this one guy, Dan, his head is so far up his arse he can tell you how his own prostate tastes. He is a genius though, rebuilt this little omnic companion for us. He codenamed the thing B45T10N, luckily he's not as good at robotics as he is particle physics, the damn thing can barely walk.

I really shouldn't be surprised, or complaining for that matter, because at this secret UN outpost, facilitated, in secret, by the illustrious King William of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to aid the UN it's fight for peace or something. The details are ultimately boring, all I know is that I'm being paid a lot of money to guard some scientists and their toys. Honestly, the stuff they're doing here is pretty damn incredible. Their latest invention is a plane that can warp through time. Yep. Somehow this thing reached the human test phase and now they're shipping Lena-goddamn-Oxton in to fly it. The poster girl for the entire British Army will come here to live, train and test the world's first Harrier-time-jump-jet, better yet, she'll be bunking with myself and the scientists which means I can finally meet the legend that everyone talks about.

Here's what I know. Lena is barely an adult, at 21 she's the youngest pilot to wear a Victoria cross having fought in every major combat zone around the world with a record 36 confirmed aircraft kills. Beyond that, there is nothing. Her files are dripping in black ink and her family is noted as 'deceased' in her public file while reports of what the lass is actually like are mixed. Some say she's a genius, that she engineers her own planes and upgrades. Other reports suggest that this success is entirely false, that her success must be down to luck because she is notoriously stupid. Well whatever the case, I'll have something to look at, that girl is gorgeous.

"Whatchya lookin at there?" a voice rings out from behind the Captain, startling him. Reflexively he spins around, taking the small figure by surprise and pinning it to the floor, pushing his pistol against her throat.

"Who are you? What's your intention?" he demanded. The girl giggled and smiled, then he realised. "Wait, are you…"

"Lena Oxton reporting for duty!" she announced proudly, wincing at the pain in her shoulders as the Captain continued to pin her to the floor. The Captain apologised profusely. "You didn't know I was here?" She stopped saluting as he helped her to her feet.

"No" he replied, helping her to her feet, "you were expected to arrive tomorrow".

"Oh, am I causing you trouble?" she asked, blinking. She seemed to hang on his every word as if it were a Tekhartha Mondatta speech.

After a long, unintentional pause the Captain replied: "No not at all, Lena I… I just, you have quite a reputation, Lieutenant" he said with apparent difficulty.

"Most of its rubbish, love" she said, a wide grin spreading across her face. "I just like to fly planes and do a little good y'know?"

"I see, well it's good to meet you but you need to let us know you're here. For one, this is a highly secure facility and two because these are your commanding officer's private quarters." He noted sternly.

"Terribly sorry sir!" she exclaimed "I do 'ave an habit of causing people trouble, I'll stay out yer way then." With that, she winked, and made for the door at speed. Before he knew it, he was alone with nothing but Lena's smiling face running through his mind, almost hoping she would break that promise.

A week or so later the Captain woke up early. As per his usual routine he pulled his socks up to his powerful lower calves, slid his feet into his running gear and headed towards the gymnasium. The long corridors appeared to go on forever as he passed from one dully lit hallway to the next. Just as he neared the hanger he heard a loud clang reverberate from the walls. He froze, knowing that intruders would likely be highly trained operatives, making noise only with the intention of being heard. He clung to the wall as he slipped inside the large hanger, creeping slowly and hiding among the shadows.

 _Bee boo beep.  
_  
The Captains eyes narrowed, recognising the noise as Daniel's robot, emanating from behind a large collection of crates to his right. He approached the crates slowly with his pistol drawn. Quickly, he rounded the corner raised his gun.

Sat with legs crossed was Lena. To her right lay the dismembered hand of Daniels robot, freshly torn from its socket. In the other hand she propped a high calibre rifle the size of her upper body against her shoulder as she inspected some plans scribbled across the side of the crate. She giggled sweetly, having seemingly discovered what comes next.

"Don't worry fella, I'll fix you up all good and proper." She said smiling as she began to attach the arm. She began to rewire the massive rifle to the omnic's arm, carefully and skilfully.

Finally realising his position, the Captain broke his trance and spoke. "Uhm… excuse me?" he asked indignantly.

She looked up, losing her concentration and allowing a burst of electricity to jolt through her. Reeling in pain, she knocked the dismembered robot over and it collapsed on top of her.

Sighing, the Captain knelt beside her and lifted the large metal carcass off of her. Then he helped her up too. Unlike before, the Royal Air Force jacket, trousers and Aviators had been replaced by regulation combat fatigues on her lower body, while her upper body was covered only by a cropped white tank top, stained grey from grease and oil stains. She lifted the large metal goggles from her eyes, which emphasised the grime on the face and smiled once more.

"What are you doing lieutenant?" The Captain asked. He looked her up and down as she stood sharply to attention. Her grubby face beamed as she saluted him.

"Giving B here some well needed tummy loving care, sir" she giggled again. At the notion of her stomach the Captain noted her toned body, covered in an alluring natural shine caused from a few hours of hard work.

"It looks like you broke it." He stated flatly, glancing at the pile of limbs and steel.

She broke from attention and knelt beside the robot. "I added a minigun and a cannon. There are now two modes beyond the recon mode. One is a sentry turret, the other turns this into a tank, pretty cool, right?" she laughed again as she set about reattaching the rifle to the robot.

"Excessive is the word I'd use."

"Aw, rubbish! A little lady like me has to have some extra firepower up 'er sleeves" she replied, bending across the robot to seemingly highlight her tight arse. At that, the job was done and the robot whirred back into life. The Captain smiled as Lena pranced about the room, chasing the military hardware around the hanger as it tried to escape her, she was certainly impressive alright, even if she was… pretty eccentric.

Suddenly the Robot stopped and levied its gun against her, she laughed as she dodged a flurry paintball's with a sideways roll. The machine began to morph into a turret as she scrambled behind more crates on the opposite side of the room.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?" the Captain shouted. The machine rotated to face him.

"I think e's mad I took 'is arm off!" she cried as a torrent of paintballs unleashed themselves upon the Captain. Three hit his side as he slid to cover, large blots of torn skin beginning to form on his thigh and side.

"Paintballs will seriously injure at this calibre Lena!" he shouted.

"Better not get hit then! Let's shut this thing down together, move!" she cried as she leaped from behind the boxes, firing her own paint ball gun. The captain made a run for the next set of stacked crates underneath a large aircraft. He could hear her laughing as she returned fire. "There's another gun in the crate to your left Cap" Lena shouted. The Captain pulled out the gun but the turret sensed the movement, spinning round and firing five more rounds up the Captains arm and chest. He scrambled away as hundreds more chipped away his cover. Lena walked out from her cover and fired at the robot. As it turned she shot three more times, finally smashing its camera. This sent the turret into a frenzy, it morphed into its mech mode and fired, forcing Lena to giggle as she cartwheeled away. Lena ran towards the Captain as the machine morphed again. He looked up before ducking instantly as a large paint shell flew between them and splattered across the walls.

"You made a fucking tank?" He shouted.

"Don't worry, love. The Cavalry's here" she said nodding at the science team in the doorway.

The tank turned to fire but Lena and the Captain rushed it. Lena somersaulted over the barrel of the tank, yanking it to the side as it fired. The Captain bundled into it, forcing it to morph once more, revealing the wired neck. By this time, the science team had reached the robot and subdued it as it sprayed wildly at Lena who continued to laugh and dodge the bullets with her acrobatics. Daniel, confused at the sight of his own robot, pulled the wires connecting the robot's head to the power source, shutting it down.

Then, the staccato of a woman's boots could be heard as the bumbling science team mourned their turret. The Captain snapped to attention as Lena lay in a pile of boxes laughing to herself.

"Captain Lennox, care to explain yourself?" the woman demanded. Lena sat up, covered in sweat and grease and noted the long hair of the woman. She wore a small uniform that clung to her figure perfectly and she spoke again with a thick French accent. Behind them, 3 men and a Gorilla entered the room.

"er…" he began, glaring at the bevy of strange characters to enter the room. The first, the most normal of the bunch, was Sergeant Gerard Lecroix a burly Frenchman with a similarly thick accent and also the Major's husband. Second was Commander John Morrison, leader of Overwatch, who held himself in a way that bled heroism, his greying hair and tired looking face conveyed power despite that ear to ear grin gripping his face. Then there was Reinhardt, a mountainous excuse for a man behind them, using an enormous hammer to lean upon.

"aha- I er, don't usually have to say this Captain" she said, winking at Gerard and flashing him a devious smile "but focus on me and the question at hand, please."

"Yes, Major Lecroix!" he snapped, "Lena was fiddling with the B45T10N unit and I came to investigate." He winced at the pain from his wounds.

"We was testing the new features, Major!" Lena chirped. "He makes a great training partner, don't he Cap?" she said, elbowing the Captain who doubled over in pain.

"It's impressive what you've done here, Lena" said the Gorilla who was helping the science team rewire the fallen Omnic.

Lena's went wide as she realised who these people were. "Oh my god you're Winston!" she cried, breaking rank and bounding towards the Gorilla, shaking his hand.

"Lieutenant, calm down. Please?" Commander Morrison begged, rubbing his temple and yawning slightly.

"Yessir, Commander Jack sir!" Lena quipped, realising her position all of a sudden.

"It's John, Lieutenant." The commander sighed and looked to the Major who dragged Captain Lennox away for a good grilling. Reinhardt roared with laughter at the situation. He noted that the science team were going to have a lot of fun cleaning the mess up and left the room, laughing to himself as he went.

The Major returned and read the riot act to Lena. After a solid five minutes of shouting, the Major paused and delivered the good news. "Lena" she began "your training is done, the plane is ready, we're going to run the first slipstream test today at -"

"Hiiiiiiigh noon!" Tracer interrupted, imitating the famous McCree.

"You broke into the database again, didn't you?" Lecroix growled through gripped teeth.

"You should pick a better password, love." Tracer gloated. "I can read you like a book", she winked and took her leave. Amelie was left fuming at Morrison and Gerard as a slew of expletives were muttered under her breath, lamenting her interaction with the infamously unbearable Lena Oxton. Of course, and she would rarely admit it, she held a soft spot for the plucky Englishwoman who often inadvertently pushed and tested the major beyond her limits. In many ways, she was thankful for it.

Five hours later the hanger was still covered in paint as the begrudged Captain and Science team scrubbed at the walls and boxes, trying to get the pink substance off the seemingly unending stacks of boxes.

"Enjoying yourselves, boys?" Lena called from the entrance, giving her trademark two fingered salute. The Captain stood up to protest but stopped when he saw her. She looked heroic, with her brown eyes hidden behind a pair of tinted aviators and white flowing scarf. Her gear clung to her slender lower legs while her upper thighs were insulated by more sky blue material upon which read: Slipstream. Her yellow harness clung to her torso and chest, with a small thick pipe that attaches to her breathing apparatus installed in the jet. "What? Jealous or something love?" she said, now within a foot from the Captain.

The Captain again began to speak when he suddenly stopped and resumed his cleaning. Lena turned to be met with the Major, smiling deviously, she mocked Lena. "You call that flirting?" She laughed and began to walk towards the jet. "You have a lot to learn… _Cherie_ "

Lena looked at the Captain, now bright red she turned away from him after noticing the small grin on his face. "oi what do you mean, cherry?" She shouted after her, "I aint no fruit!"

The major stopped, clearly irked by the mispronunciation "It means, darling and you pronounce it sh-eh-ree"

"Whatever you say, cherry" Lena said, ascending the small ladder and climbing into the cockpit. The Captain chuckled as the clean-up crew vacated the area for take-off, watching with interest as the Major eyed up Tracer's ass while speaking into her radio.

"Tracer has entered slipstream, ground personnel are vacating the area" she shouted as Tracer booted up the engines, giggling at the expression of anguish on the face of her superior officer. The Captain followed her to the control tower where Reinhardt, Morrison, Gerard and now, Captain Reyes of the Blackwatch stood observing the take off.

Tracer grinned as the doors of the hanger rolled open, squinting as the bright glare of the Antarctic desert struck her bare eyes. She pulled on the large flight helmet and activated the heads-up-display. It highlighted the barely visible runway as she began to taxi the jet to the start of the runway.

"All systems green, conditions are perfect here, cherry." She said in a tone more serious than the Captain had ever heard before. Tracer shook with anticipation as she awaited the response from the Major.

"Hold on Tracer, we've detected turbulence in this sector, stand by for a moment."

"Aye-aye, cherry"

"Please stop."

"Okay, cher- er Ma'am" she said with a nervous grin.

Reyes turned to the Captain. "Lennox, take control of the practice artillery, we need to put this thing through its paces A.S.A.P." Tis was clearly a decision that annoyed Morrison and Winston who looked at each other grimly. "Don't even start, sir" Reyes began, "we need this tech on the field now, before we lose this war, she knows the risks.". The Captain didn't want to get involved, he knew as everyone else did, the power struggle between these two and thought better of it than to get involved. As such, he took control of the training lasers, hoping that this would work out okay.

The Major sighed and turned to the radio. "We're green here too Tracer, you're cleared for take-off." Without replying, the jet engine roared as it began to speed along the tarmac picking up speed before finally leaving the ground. The radio crackled as Lena began laughing, immediately doing a barrel roll over the base as the ensemble of people in the control tower ducked and rolled their eyes as she flew overhead. "Cut ze theatrics, Tracer" Major Lacroix demanded "and climb to thirty-thousand feet, we're going to test the jump capability immediately."

"Aye-aye _Cherie!_ " she laughed, blasting straight upwards. Tracer smiled, feeling majestic as she darted about the clouds as she rolled and spun the plane like a dancer performing Swan-lake.

"She's amazing…" the Captain said accidently, and watched in horror as everyone bar Reyes turned to smile at him.

"Cheers, love!" chirped Tracer over the microphone, causing his cheeks to flush red as Reinhardt bellowed with laughter. "Don't go easy on me Cap, I'm gonna jump and the you give me everything you have okay?"

For a brief second she disappeared before reappearing a mile ahead. "Haha! Check me out!" she laughed, blipping about the sky.

"Start shooting, Captain" Reyes commanded. The Captain nodded and began targeting, firing a barrage of lasers into the sky, all of which missed Tracer as she continued to flit about the sky, giggling with more vigour the closer her came to bringing her down. Then, one lucky shot struck Tracer just as she activated warp. The Captain laughed waiting for her reply.

It never came.


	2. Chapter 2: The Return

Anchored chapter 2

Only half the Slipstream had dropped out of the Arctic sky that afternoon, the jump drive and cockpit and Tracer, all vanished as the shell seemed to drift out of the sky. He remembered reaching the impact site, the shattered shards of the Slipstream were strewn about the snowy dunes like dust to a shelf. Most of all he remembered the piercing howl of the wind as it wracked the grief stricken faces of the command team. It was as if the collective grief of them all was reflected in its inhuman shriek which barrelled across the arctic tundra in a cruel imitation of Tracers sky dance.

Tonight was quiet too, thought the Captain, who missed the plucky and sometimes obnoxious cockney accent which piqued his interest so much. He was on leave, sat in the lobby of a large glass building in The City of London waiting for a guy from the MoD to brief him on his next orders. He'd had few months off since the search, and took leave as the news broke in the United Kingdom. _Oxton Ace Missing!_ Cried The Guardian as a nation, and the world, mourned a now heroic icon.

"Captain?" said a familiar voice. The Captain broke his trance as he looked up to see Commander Morrison.

"Oh, sorry sir" he replied, snapping to attention.

"At ease," he signalled him to follow and began to walk off, "we have your new assignment, you're not going to like it." He smiled sympathetically, "seven hours ago we detected multiple pings below our defence grid in Antartica…" before the Captain could object he was cut short as Morrison paused, laying a hand on the Captains shoulder. "Just listen, I know you're uneasy about going back. When the science team investigated, they found the cockpit completely intact in the snow, now, it should've been smashed to pieces but it wasn't instead it kind of… shimmered, we'll show you in a bit what I mean."

"Sir, where is this going, if I may?"

"Well, fifty minutes ago, we got the same ping, we investigated and well, we found the Slipstreams jump drive." He started walking again and the Captain rushed after him.

"Sir that would suggest that in what, six hours, Tracer will fall out the sky too?" He said, beginning to grin unabashedly.

They entered a door, leading to a pad where a VTOL was parked, it was state of the art and inscribed with the Overwatch insignia, the moon reflected off the brilliant white panelling as the harsh September air bit at their coats.

"Yes, we need to keep this under wraps" explained Morrison, steeping through the door of the craft, "seeing as you were there we need you to help us care for her when she's recovered. It's likely that whatever is affecting the cockpit and slip-drive is affecting Tracer too so she'll need friendly faces around as we try to save her."

The Captain stopped as Morrison turned on a screen and indicated to the pilot to take off. "So what _is_ affecting her?"

"This."

The Captain watched as a video screen showed Daniel tried lifting the glass canopy. He was horrified when it fell through his hands and ripped a hole in his trouser as it warped back into reality, slicing through the skin and wounding the unsuspecting scientist.

"Jesus…" the Captain declared as the tape paused. The VTOL rattled about as it came into turbulence and Morrison began to explain further. Based on the tests carried out by Winston and his science team, it would appear that Lena would be suffering from what is now known as chronal disassociation. Essentially, even if Tracer were to survive the fall from the sky, the hours it'll take to find her, and the freezing temperatures, she would simultaneously be both within and transcendent of our timeline. Winston says that she may not even want to survive, given that no one knows what will happen to a person out of time."

"What if certain organs are anchored to time and others aren't?" The Captain asked, not wanting to hear the answer.

"We don't know, Captain, we don't know…" Morrison looked grey. The last of his blonde hair had disappeared over the last months. He blamed himself for not over ruling Reyes' decision to fire on Tracer so soon. Reyes had been relieved of his command for the mistake, although Morrison outranked him now, Reyes held a large volume of supporters within the organisation. The rift between them was public knowledge too now and the chip on Reyes' shoulder had morphed to a full blown valley. Morrison's brow furrowed as the VTOL landed in the hanger. A sharp pain was felt in his gut when he noticed the deactivated B45T10N unit in the corner, next to some crates stained faintly pink at the edges.

The convoy set out as dawn broke and the sun struck its brilliance upon the Antarctic sheets as a panicked call came in from Winston. "We've detected Tracer's ping!" he exclaimed.

"What?! We should have another ten minutes yet!" the Captain shouted into the radio.

"This one is more irregular, Captain. We're seeing it bounce all over the place here." Winston sounded concerned as the convoy broke rank and file, flooring it to the crash site.

"twenty-five thousand feet" said Winston.

The cars rounded a weak section of ice.

"twenty thousand feet"

Clambering over third ice shelf, the Captain gunned the throttle across the plain/

"ten thousand feet!"

"Christ…" the Captain muttered, noting a flitting blue light in the distance where the sun had not yet risen. "How is she going so fast?"

"eleven thousand feet"

"Are you okay Winston?" A breathless Morrison blared into the radio.

"I have several PhD's in four schools of physics, two in philosophy and three maths, I know what I'm talking about" he replied angrily. "Where did she go. Daniel?" he demanded to the unfortunate scientist.

The cars bounded forward along an ice track, sunken into the frost plains by the numerous search parties that proceeded it. Out of nowhere, a blue light flashed into the road like a meteor. Snow and shards of ice were sprayed up from the impact as the Jeeps screeched to a halt at the edge of a crater. The Captain fell from the car and scrambled to the crater.

It was Tracer.

He slid to her side, and looked down at her mangled body. Bones protruded from places they shouldn't. A femur snapped in half exited her upper left thigh, both tibias were crushed and mangled into ungodly positions. She'd landed feet first. She woke, tried to scream and disappeared. Only to reappear mid fall once more, clattering feet first into the Captain, knocking him to the ground beneath them.

"What on earth are you doin' down there Cap? You was just in the control room a moment ago" she smiled. It lacked the same integrity as before, it was a different smile, a smile born from relief rather than that bumbling naiveté she was so known for. Everyone stared at her dumbfounded, they couldn't believe what they saw, moments earlier she was as good as dead yet here she was. Alive.

The Captain knew something then, she'd fooled everyone else but not him, she remembered that pain. It was lurking behind that smile, lurking behind the shimmer of her body as it struggled to remain in time.

Tracer paced about the room. It was a nice room. It had lots of windows on the curved side opposite the door, it had lots of light because of the windows and the view was great she thought to herself sarcastically. Aside from that, it was little more than a cell to Tracer and she'd been stuck here for weeks. Her naturally high energy levels did not lend well to scientific testing. She read a battered old copy of _Robinson Crusoe_ as she lazed on a hammock fashioned from an industrial ventilation pipe. Having read for all of five long minutes she decided to bang at the doors.

"Oi open up! I'm bored in here!" she shouted. No reply. She paced about wondering what to do. Giving up on company, she sat back in her hammock. Then she was dragged back through time, now stood at the door once again. Tracer sighed before giggling. "Athens! I'm disappearing again!" she laughed as she hid behind a wall to the far side of the room. Tracer beamed when it was Jack and the Captain who burst through the door. "Jack!" she screeched, ambushing the aged commander. Time pushed her forwards this time, sending her through the man and smashing against a wall. Realising her freedom, she darted towards the hanger, laughing as she went. Ignoring the serious warning from her friends she continued on and forcing their pursuit. She dodged and weaved down the halls, enjoying the freedom she'd been deprived of. The joy soon ended as the Captain cut her off, with Morrison behind her she bolted for the door. She clattered into Reyes and Major Lecroix who were right behind it, both of whom retrained her.

"Get back in the room, Lieutenant" Reyes growled

"Aw come on! I've been stuck in there for weeks!" She cried. "Yous have been testin' me and probin' me and God knows what else. You can't fix this!" She shouted, expressing a ferocity that none of them had seen before. As if to accentuate this, she faded out of existence once more, not to return for a week.

When she was relocated, it was Winston who found her. She was wearing the tank top and army fatigues with a worn brown leather watch and her favourite silver aviators that she'd disappeared in. She shimmered as he consoled her.

"Lena… stand up." Winston said as her tears stopped.

She did as the ape asked as he clamped a device to her chest and switched it on. It was incredibly lightweight and fit over her frame perfectly. Tracer felt strange as Winston tightened the straps around her bust and her back, it was as if she felt whole for the first time since her accident. Confused, Lena walked towards the mirror to which Winston had pointed. She was speechless, her body was real again. She giggled.

"No. Way. Winston, you did it!" she beamed up at him and hugged him, or as much of him as she could.

"Well look at you, Tracer." A voice from behind them. "you're finally back in the real world" It was the Captain, stood in the doorway, with his large arms folded. "Or as close to reality as you'll ever get" he chuckled as he walked towards them.

"Oi don't be rude you…" she trailed off. She'd never noticed him before. He had long messy hair coloured blonde in a way that exuberated dirt and grime, even if he was clean. His beard was unkempt and far too casual for the military however, his rugged look was topped off by a muscular body that most would kill for. It was an odd oxymoron, she thought, that someone so untidy with their general look would be so committed to his fitness.

"you what, Lieutenant?" He said, confused by her long pause.

"oh, uh nothin'" she said and punched him playfully in the chest.

Unflinching, the Captain laughed and turned away to leave. "It's good to have you back… love" he said before winking and leaving the room.

Winston ignored the redness of her cheeks as he gave her new orders. She was to take leave, to get used to normal life once more, after which, she may join Overwatch as an agent if she wanted. It was the least Winston could do, he knew they'd never let her fly again.

Tracer lived in an old warehouse a few miles out of London and had converted the old office overlooking the floor into her home. It was large enough for a lounge, a bedroom and a kitchen as well as a fully kitted out workshop. She'd spared no expense on the interior, with her compensation money from the UN she funnelled millions of pounds into turning the place into a modern home. As for the rest of the warehouse, she'd turned it into a funhouse in typical Tracer style. Much of the floor had been replaced by foam pits and she'd personally constructed a canopy of platforms to jump between using an array of bars swings and poles. Tracer didn't want just any gym she had to be different. She never knew why things were this way, however, she always seemed to gravitate towards the outlandish. She thought about how it was that natural tendency that landed her a spot in the RAF before she'd finished secondary school and chuckled as she jumped towards a platform. Tracer had under estimated the distance, willing herself forward her accelerator flourished her forwards on to the platform.

"What the…" She muttered to herself as she thought back to her jump. Her accelerator pulled her backwards leaving her in mid-air once more. She fell immediately into the large foam pit as her eyes stung and a smile as wide as the Atlantic broke across her face.

"Bastion, get yer arse out here!" she shouted as her obedient omnic friend trundled out to meet her, carrying a bottle of iced water and a medical kit. "No need for that, love" she said, gulping down the water and swatting away the kit. "What we do need though, are some paint balls…"

Tracer spent every waking hour of the day training with Bastion, perfecting her technique and her look. "Time travel does funny stuff with yer eyes B" she said, donning a pair of orange tinted goggles. Her tank top and army fatigues were soaked as she darted about the air, evading Bastions minigun as she leaped from platform to swing to pole and to platform, performing mid-air cartwheels and acrobatics enough to make her grandfather's heart stop. The thought of her Grandfather cost her focus and her trousers caught a loose paintball as they flapped about in the air. Tracer plummeted to the ground as Bastion came to her aid. "I better find some leggings or something, mate." She said, looking at the edges of her trousers that were covered in pink dust. She crafted, a set of leggings out of a bright orange, experimental material called ultralight dragonskin, which hugged her bum and legs tightly. A few days later, Bastion blind-sided her, changing to his tank form and blasting at her from multiple angles. She dodged him for a gruelling thirty six and a half minutes until she tore the skin of the bottom of her foot, the sole having long since disappeared from constant shifts in momentum. His shot struck her on the shoulder, dislocating it.

Using her power to recall, she returned to health, however, she remembered the pain and it _bloody_ hurt. She limped over to the support beam that was holding up the platform and sat against it. "Bloody hell" said Tracer, looking at the state of her foot. It was raw and she wouldn't be able to walk on it for a few days. In the meantime, she developed a set of shoes to replace the trainers she'd used previously.

"I need the durability of a boot but the function of running shoes" she said to Bastion, who was fascinated by the small bird that took residence in Tracer's roof top garden. She smiled after she heard him bleat a series of bloops and boops to the bird. At the noise, she thought back to her first fight with the Captain, when she watched him roll about the hanger in that tight top and shorts. She loved working to defeat Bastion with him, they made a great team. The, she had an idea. Tracer hobbled over to him and noticed the material under his armour that acted like a gel, the science team had struggled to pierce it as they repaired him. It was perfect for her new shoes.

When their sparring came to a close she decided that the machine pistols she'd been using to fight back weren't enough. "It's time you got a little paint on ya fella" she grinned, wiping an assortment of colours from her face.

Back in the workshop, she fashioned a pair of gauntlets from the left over material she used to create her shoes. Working into the night, Tracer hollowed out the gauntlets and developed a magnetic release mechanism for them from which, her pair of pistols could spring from. Bastion watched intently as the sweat dripped from her body in the warm June night.

"Hey, look at this, Tracer said, showing Bastion the bomb, "it's not really that powerful but thanks to this" she taps her accelerator, "I can amplify its power by warping its own time essentially detonating the same grenade multiple times in the same point!" Tracer looked at bastion when the reply didn't come. Instead she smiled when he ignored her, allowing him to play with the bird she'd yet to name.

The following day Tracer was hung upside down spray painting a picture of herself on to the paint stained walls when there was a knock on the door below. "Come on in!" she shouted. The door swung open and through it strolled Captain Lennox who suddenly stopped upon seeing Tracer.

"Hey cap!" She said, swinging on the bar, "what can I do for ya?"

"You can get down here for a start."

Tracer let go and fell. Just before she hit the ground she darted towards him, avoiding the foam pits and sliding to a halt before him.

"What the fuck was that?" he said, mystified.

"Ha! Turns out this thing wasn't all bad after all" Tracer beamed. She teleported behind him, tapping his shoulder and recalling back, laughing as he spun about aimlessly.

"Jesus…" he said looking at her. His gaze made her feel warm and somewhat uncomfortable, for the first time she felt on display to someone as his eyes traced her long slender legs and up towards her exposed midriff.

"what?" she asked more indignantly than she meant.

"It's just that you already ran circles around me, I'm absolutely screwed now" he laughed.

She joined in, giggling alongside him. "I tell yer what, how about we go up to the garden and we can talk discuss business there" she smiled and teleported off to make some drinks.

The afternoon sun shone brightly as the pair leaned against a railing on Tracer's rooftop garden, overlooking the megacity. "Quite the sight, isn't it?" The Captain said, looking towards Parliament.

Tracer nodded and turned to him "What's your name? I just realised I don't even know it."

Tracer looked away sheepishly as he took a sip of his drink and spoke to her in a shoddy English accent. "It's Martin, I'm pleased to meet you Miss…" he smiled and held out his hand. She giggled as she held it out to him, letting him place a kiss on her gloved hand.

"Oxton. Lena Oxton." They burst out laughing at their little pantomime. "That was awful, Martin." She elbowed him gently.

"oh come on" he said, leaning closely "I could always try yours"

"Try me all you like Mr. Lennox but I'd not try it around any _real_ Londoners."

"Or what?"

"Or I might have to bottle yer" she winked, her cheeks rosy from the iced Cider they'd been drinking. "'Ave you come to give me an offer then Mr. Lennox?" She said looking at the envelope sticking out of his pocket.

"Ah, yes that is an invitation to the Overwatch Academy" He began, "all initiates must demonstrate their skills to become an agent, remember?"

She nodded, "So you are special, obviously, which means that you are being fast tracked to this year's graduate test. I'm sure you'll walk most of it but the final test is a combat mission, you'll be competing and cooperating with our best and brightest."

Tracer blushed at 'obviously' and stopped listening after that, instead casting her mind towards the future, in all its complexity, she was determined to do good for her grandfather.

"… the omnic crisis isn't slowing Lena, and we need Overwatch to be strong because the public just aren't in love with us like they used to." He sighed and turned to her. "Reyes and Morrison are barely cooperating at this point, I have to talk to both by proxy, they just won't talk after what happened to you. What's worse is that people have started taking sides. You need to pass this, Lena. If you ever want to make a difference, which I know you do, you _must_ help us win."

"Got it, boss" she saluted, seeming to ignore the gravity of the situation. "what should I bring with me?"

"Your gear, your guns and your bombs" he said plainly "oh and something a little less distracting than that top, we're technically a _military_ organisation" he said with a smirk before turning and heading towards the car, leaving her bright red and utterly entranced.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoy the chapter, will update more often now that the referendum and exams are out the way. All criticism is welcomed and encouraged, slide into my DM's if you want.  
\- Cal **


	3. Chapter 3: The Test

**Note:** This chapter was an absolute bitch to write. I went on holiday, lost my vision for the story excuses excuses etc. As such it's a little short but don't despair for I have found once more my passion for Overwatch and the awesome lore behind it! Also, expect chapter 4 within the week! (Depends how shit I did at A-levels tbh). Anyways, enjoy the story!  
\- **Cal**

* * *

"Okay, um Hi there!" Tracer began cheerfully "My good pal here, the grumpy bastard called Gerard want me to keep a diary, to help with you know, Science stuff" she shrugged into the monitor as Gerard sighed audibly off camera. "So today is my final test to become an agent for Overwatch and I am buzzing! I've been here for about three months now and since then I've become brilliant at this time jumping stuff. Amelie Lecroix has been personally overseeing my training and I'm top of the class in combat training." Tracer paused for a moment, her expression hardened slightly as she continued "It's been tough, adjusting to life with my chronal accelerator but I'm learning and that's all that matters."

Tracers determined grin vanished as Gerard returned to the room. "Okay Lena, my wife is insisting you take the test now, so can you please hurry it up?" he chuckled jovially "before I pay for it later" he added.

Tracer giggled at that and pulled on her jacket before entering the adjacent hall. Overwatch had a tradition. Each cohort of agents would have a rank within the class, because Tracer was top of this class she would have to fight an additional test. The hall was filled with classmates, including Captain Lennox who stood at the side of the arena among the audience. It was a large cage, which filled the majority of floor space in the large building, that caught Tracer's immediate attention as an image of her grandfather's training flashed through her mind. The crowd roared into life as she approached the centre circle in her now trademark outfit and in the middle of the ring stood her opponent, Genji.

Amelie's voice blasted over the loudspeaker, her captivating accent commanding authority from the crowd. "This test is designed so that the challenger, in this case Agent Lena Oxton, loses thoroughly and completely. We must realise that despite our power we are always vulnerable, not just to others but power itself. We are strong and we must protect those who can't and no more than that."

"Kobayashi Maru" Tracer said, wide-eyed and grinning.

Then she entered the arena too. The crowd became hysterical, it was unheard of for a challenger to face two operatives, especially two as high profile as Amelie and Genji. Tracer watched as Amelie strode confidently towards her, a skin tight bodysuit clung to her flesh like water to skin as she took up her stance. Genji rose too, drawing his shurikens and waiting for the tone. The crowd went silent as Tracer ejected a pair of training blasters from her gauntlets. She waited.

"Oh _Cherie,_ you seem to already know where this is going" she chuckled to herself.

"I'm gonna beat it, like Kirk did" Tracer replied.

"He cheated"

"I can warp time, love I think I have a chance" smirked Tracer.

A sound rang out and the crowd cheered once more. Lecroix immediately grappled to the ceiling as Genji darted forward. Tracer dodged the attack, refusing to blink until necessary, she spun away from a blow and used the momentum to press an attack on Amelie. Amelie was upside down firing a volley of bullets from the rifle she'd held earlier. Genji, surprised by his foe's apparent evasiveness bolted to pursue however, Tracer slid underneath Amelie and fired upwards, forcing her to relocate just as Genji reached her once more. He fired off a set of shuriken, forcing a parry as Tracer failed to evade the attack.

The Captain and the other members of the audience were captivated by the display. "Jesus, she's hanging in there against a cyborg and the robot" he gasped as the cadet to the side of him nodded in agreement

Tracer wasn't holding her own at all, she'd managed to evade them thus far but was becoming tired without the use of her accelerator. Looking at Genji, she knew that if she could incapacitate his throwing arm somehow she would stand a better chance. Tracer rushed Genji forcing him to engage in hand to hand combat on her terms. She pressed him towards Amelie until she no longer had a safe shot on Tracer, which forced her to grapple hook to acquire a better shot. Then she blinked into Genji forcing him to fly into the air towards the opposing wall. Amelie had already fired her grappling hook however, and it pierced Genji's shoulder and severing the loading arms of his suit. His body clattered against the caging as he was knocked unconscious from the impact. This put the crowd into a frenzy as Amelie stood, half gawking at Genji's crumpled chassis. The look spurred Tracer on as she pressed her attack.

Suddenly, the floor fell away and rose. The field now becoming a series of platforms which stopped Tracer in her tracks as she slipped over the edge. Instinctively, she blinked backwards, keeping her recall a secret for now. The crowds frenzy went into overdrive as they roared Tracer on. Amelie swung into tracer, clamping her between her legs and carrying her off. It had caught Tracer off guard and she blinked onto a platform below. Amelie somersaulted and landed on the platform too.

The pair dodged and weaved in a perfect union as the remaining platforms, bar Genji's were lowered. What followed was a dance of conflict and struggle. The lithe frames of the two women spun and darted around each other as they battled gain the upper hand.

Gerard took the time to chastise the Captain. "She'd have made a fine agent, wouldn't she?"

"What do you mean _would have_?" the Captain replied angrily despite being in awe of the spectacle before him.

"Morrison and Reyes will tear Overwatch apart, Marcus." He sighed "Morrison is stuck in the old ways, he can't do what is necessary to eradicate Talon before they become a threat."

The Captain turned to reply but stopped as Tracer was sent flying across the arena. The platforms had returned and Amelie had trapped Tracer in the corner. Genji stood and unsheathed his sword, his preferred arm hung limply at his side as he took up his stance. Seemingly defeated, the crowd screamed "concede!" at Tracer who laughed, causing Amelie to lash out. Tracer vanished as the two clattered into each other and reappeared behind them.

"Don't worry, love! The cavalry's here!" she declared, lobbing her bomb at the pair and darting away sniggering to herself as she, the crowd, and the staff watched as Genji and Amelie exploded into pink dust.

There was a party that night to celebrate Tracer's official admission into Overwatch alongside Winston, who joined the science division and Genji, who had passed his tests almost a year ago. It was hosted at Overwatch's Headquarters in Switzerland and Tracer was, as usual, ecstatic about everything and anything. Despite it being such a momentous occasion, the celebration was a small affair.

"Where's cherry?" Tracer said, her mouth filled with cake.

Torbjorn looked at Genji then chuckled. "I think she took your loss a little personally" said Torbjorn as he nudged Genji playfully.

Tracer's smile fell a little. She never meant to hurt her mentor's feelings, in fact, Tracer desired her approval more than anything in the world. There was something about her, perhaps in the way she composed herself, that lead Tracer to pursue her respect so relentlessly. The thought passed quickly through her mind however as she noticed a new figure join the festivities. She was north African in complexion and older by the looks of her skin. Tracer watched curiously as the woman approached Morrison who smiled and hugged her. Unable to remain still, Tracer made her way over the pair and introduced herself to the woman.

"Hi, love! I'm L-"

"Oh I know all about you child" the woman spoke calmly to her, her soft voice contrasted Tracer's more chipper tone. She laughed delicately to herself. "Everyone knows who the great Lena Oxton is, isn't that right Jack?"

Morrison, who'd been looking at her longingly suddenly snapped out of his daze and spluttered his approval. Tracer giggled seeing his softer side for the first time. His brow furrowed as Reyes approached them.

"Morrison, there's a situation and it needs addressing." He stated matter-of-factly. "Now" He added before heading towards Morrison's office.

Tracer was left alone again and joined Winston and Marcus at the table for more cake.

"So I say to her, that's none of your business, that's MONKEY business!" Winston roared with laughter at his own joke as Tracer sat down next to a particularly awkward Captain Lennox and a possibly drunk Winston. Tracer giggled at the Captain's poor attempt to play along, which startled him.

"hey, hey! How's it feel to finally be part of Overwatch?" Said Winston, "I must say it's almost surreal isn't it?"

"Definitely, never would've bet on life turning out like this that's for sure." She replied.

"Well the world can always use more heroes" said Tracer, raising a glass.

"I'll drink to that, darlin' I'm glad you're on our side" chuckled McCree behind them. He ruffled Tracer's hair and knocked back a double shot of Macallan 57 on the rocks.

"Jesus Jesse" Marcus exclaimed "ain't that like a grand a bottle?"

Jesse cracked up "True but it's free if you take it from Reyes"

Tracer giggled, "don't worry Cap, I'm sure Jesse knows what he's doing. Right love?" she winked at the burly American before turning back to face the others. She'd snuck the bottle out of Reye's office for him on a dare and McCree toasted her, and winked. "It's a load of fuss about nothin' really. I'm more a cider girl myself" she said nonchalantly.

Now it was Winston's turn to pipe up. "I heard that no drink can match a pint of Bavarian ale" he said looking towards Angela and Reinhardt. The group turned to see the pair chugging pints as the others egged them on laughing together as Ziegler went toe-to-toe with the mountainous German.

"Wow" Marcus exclaimed "why're they taking it so seriously?"

"Geo-politics, partner" McCree declared "Ya see, the big man is from Bavaria, Munich to you or I whereas Angela comes from Switzerland. Fierce rivalry that one, has been for years."

"Sure you're not on about Austria?" Marcus replied.

Tracer looked around as she lost interest in the boring conversation as the two tried, drunkenly, to recall whatever it was they were talking about. The garden was small and cosy on a small veranda at the base of the HQ's famous spire. The view overlooked an adorable Swiss town in the valley which Tracer gazed at as she sipped from her glass. The evening sun cast a warm hue over the party as their laughter resounded clearly for the academy below to hear. She spotted a pair of young recruits talking in the corner of a courtyard. They embraced, prompting Tracer to raise a brow before grinning.

"McCree!" A voiced boomed and Tracer looked around to see Reyes seething. "God knows you aren't discreet enough to get this out my office so who's ass needs beating too?"

The cowboy glanced instinctively at Tracer. She looked around to check no one was watching and vaulted the railing. The party, which had fallen silent when Reyes entered erupted into a volley of cheers. She laughed as she slid down the slope, blinking to increase her speed. She watched the figures below her point to in her direction and run to meet her as she gained speed.

At some stage, Tracer lost her balance and tripped. The pair gasped as she was about to slam into them but Tracer recalled and dashed, sliding to a halt in front of them. She looked over her shoulder to check if Reyes had followed.

"Wow It's really you!" the girl said with admiration, her eyes gleaming. "Me and Greg saw your fight, you were amazing!"

"The omnics don't stand a chance!" said the other "Why were you sliding down the side of the building, is something wrong?"

"Yeah we can help, can't we Greg?"

"I uh-" Tracer began but was interrupted by Reyes who placed a cold hand on her shoulder, making her yelp.

"How did you?" she squeaked out.

The recruits snapped to attention as she was carted off to an elevator on the far side of the courtyard.

There was a deadly silence for what seemed like hours, which made Tracer wonder how he reached her so quickly. Finally she coughed up the courage to speak.

"Sir? I'm ever so sorry, love. It's just that McCree loves whiskey and I thought you wouldn't mind and it was a dare and I'm just…" she paused, Reye's began looking around frantically as the elevator came to a stop.

"This isn't the right floor, is it?" she said, hoping the mysterious man wasn't going to torture her.

"No, this isn't even a floor, look" he motioned to the building. He was right, they were stuck halfway between two floors.

The lights flickered. Reyes pushed Tracer behind him, pinning her to the glass and drew one of his shotguns. Tracer's heart raced, something about the situation, particularly the sense of emergency in Reyes' eyes made her think this wasn't payback.

Then the lights went out.

Reye's presence seemed to leave the room and as the emergency lights flickered on her blood ran cold. Reyes was gone, replaced by a shadowy figure. Tracer trembled as the figure turned. It was dressed in a large black trench coat. He raised a gothic hand to her neck, pinning her in place. Tracer gasped for breath, immobilised by fear. The man laughed behind the skeletal mask in a twisted form of grim satisfaction before speaking.

"Tracerr" he seemed to slur. Then, she felt a pinch in her neck as he sank a needle deep into her flesh. "Morrison is a liarr" he concluded as her legs gave way and she slumped against the glass.

She appeared to wake almost moments later, the figure and Reyes were both gone and she was still trying to rationalise what happened as she re-joined the party. Winston instantly put the incident to the back of her mind as he jumped around with McCree's hat. Just as the flustered cowboy got it back, Tracer blasted past him and dashed to the top of a ledge. She stood back turned, his peacemaker in one hand, hat on her head and chomping his large cigar as the crowd below cheered the spectacle.

She swayed slightly, her accelerator felt more powerful than it did before and she wondered if this was the figures goal. Again she pushed it to the back of her mind as she put on an intentionally bad southern drawl.

"It's highhhh noon!" she shouted and fired six shots into six empty beer bottles as the group screeched in delight.

She dropped off the ledge and returned McCree's stuff as she picked up a camera. "Hey Marcus, take picture of me, Winston and Genji on our graduation day!" she demanded as she shoved the camera into his hands and gathered up her new friends.

"One, two, three cheese!"

"wahoo!" Tracer shouted as she jumped into the air mid-flash. The picture would signal the beginning of the end for Overwatch and the last years of the golden era came to a close.


	4. Chapter 4: The Fall

_TONIGHT: Doomfist's rampage continues as he blasts his way through the ruins of Cairo and we explore the meteoric rise of Tracer._

 _We have in the studio tonight, Captain Marcus Lennox, a key figure within Overwatch who was, get this, present at the moment of her tragic accident when she flew the Slipstream aged just 18._

" _18, wow, she seems like she was incredible even before the accident, is that true Captain?"_

" _Yeah, well I can't talk too much about it because she was technically part of the RAF at that point but she was certainly like no other recruit we'd had until that point."_

" _Really, how so?"_

" _Well for a start she had an obnoxious lack of self-awareness"_

" _You didn't like her?"_

" _Haha no I did, who couldn't right? No, I just couldn't relax around her. She was always so full of energy that I was worried she'd break something. Like, one morning she stayed up all night and refitted an old omnic into a training bot. Only she'd forgotten to finish reprogramming it before she turned it on. The science team and I ended up spending days trying to clear up the mess."_

" _haha! Brilliant, that certainly seems like the Tracer we know. But what about the Lena we don't know, she certainly keeps her personal life a secret, doesn't she?"_

" _Well one thing I do know I that she's incredibly industrious, after her accident she spent months learning her new abilities, honing her skills and body into an absolute machine, when I saw what she could do I knew we had to get her fast tracked into the organisation."_

" _Incredible, we're going to come back to this but first a report from the situation in Egypt. We join Jane Carter who is live at the scene"_

 _Fareeha, daughter of the legendary Ana Amari, has been keeping Doomfist at bay with a small garrison of men from the Egyptian Security Force. It's understood that the ESF have sustained heavy losses and many of us are trapped within the city still, essentially hostages. What we are all wondering here is where are overwatch? Not even Ana Amari has been sighted and her own daughter is here trying her best to keep him at bay. Maybe, Captain Lennox should be here helping us rather than taking part in some PR nonsense._

Two years on from her induction Tracer was sat in her bunk reading a combat report she'd lifted from Morrison's office as Winston scolded her. "Look Winston, Doomfist has been engaged in Cairo. We can totally go and get him." She said.

"Not without Morrison's permission we can't." The gorilla replied.

Tracer lept off of the top bunk and Genji looked over her figure. She was typically nonchalant and oblivious about the crop top and shorts she was wearing. Her body, two years on from graduation had become the epitome of athletic perfection. Her stomach was toned and her muscles defined across her body, from her arms to her calves she looked like she could run forever. At the same time, he noted, she maintained an innocent feminine beauty that was not only unique but also completely self-assured and lacking any issue in terms of self esteem.

"Morrison has been locked away for days" she said as she waved the report in front of Genji's eyes. "Ever since Amelie went missing we've been sat around doing nothing. I think I'll be excited for a briefing at this rate, love" she sighed.

This made both Winston and Genji chuckle and finally agree to the unsanctioned mission. She'd been begging them for hours and although they agreed Tracer didn't share their restraint. Marcus had become a senior figure within Overwatch over the last few years and 'accidentally' authorised a VTOL for them to use for transportation, his soft spot for Tracer once again getting the better of him.

As the doors lowered the three agents walked out to confront Doomfist. Unbeknownst to all of them, a reporter and camera crew had begun to film the encounter from a safe spot in the basement of a local television station.

"ah I've finally got the attention of Overwatch" he boomed "the world should know you're the reason I'm doing this." He said before blasting a hole through the wall of a skyscraper. The trio said nothing as they looked at one another for reassurance. After a nod, a wink and a readjusting of the glasses they attacked doomfist for all the world to see.

For a brief moment, the world would be reminded of the heroism that saved it, before it all came crashing down.

Winston went toe-to-toe with the man, who rivalled Reinhardt in stature, tanking his punches and keeping his cannon trained on the gauntlet, suppressing its power. Genji stood at range, throwing his shuriken forcing Doomfist to dodge and move. Tracer would blast around the back being a nuisance and try to force a mistake through sheer frustration.

"Fancy giving up, love? We've almost got ya!" Said Tracer as she dropped a bomb just behind him. The blast should have killed him, instead it knocked him backwards. Clearly he had made some upgrades since he had acquired it. The dust that had been thrown up by the bomb now emitted a sinister laugh as Doomfist exited its cover and spoke, knowing the world was watching.

"Overwatch weren't fast enough I'm afraid. Our mutual enemy were able to supply me with some friends." His smile half-cocked and self-assured as a multitude of Bastion units exited the shadows. Stunned, the agents regrouped, their backs protecting the bunker from which the news team watched, terrified yet filled with hope.

"Any idea's big guy?" Said Tracer, drawing her pistols.

Genji unsheathed his sword. "Protecting the innocent, there is no more noble way to die"

"You two focus the omnics. I'll deal with doomfist." Winston said, with a sense of grim determination in his voice.

Doomfist held up his guard and the omnics clicked and sputtered, their ominous and terrifying silence a bogeyman made real. As parents shuddered with reminders of night terrors and friends lost in what everyone knew was now the first omnic crisis.

"Well then. What are we waitin' for?" Said Tracer.

Without warning she bounded forward up a flight of wrecked stairs as she engaged the omnics on the higher levels. Turning into a blasted out living room she ducked, evading a sentry unit's fire as it tore apart the brown wall behind her.

Winston launched himself at Doomfist and dropped his dome trap, trapping the two within it as they began their fight. Genji set about shredding their forces as he harnessed the power of the dragon to carve up their ranks and lighten the load on Winston's trap.

Tracer dove through a window and recalled, tricking the turret as she reappeared behind it and blasted its weak point on its back. She slid under a fallen wall and clattered into a bot as it tried to attack Genji. She straddled its metallic frame and emptied her clip into the robots face as a series of sparks and lights showered from the wound. She looked up and destroyed another before it could kill her as it's chassis hadn't even hit the floor and Tracer was gone, now evading two omnic sentries as she flashed to get close. She giggled as she vaulted them, landing between them both and dodged backwards, clattering into a grandfather clock as the two robots melted the other, reducing them to two piles of scrap.

Hearing a disturbance outside Tracer rushed to the window as the ESF arrived with Fareeha. Who blasted the Omnics that were startled by the sudden ambush. She watched as Winston, who saw his chance, launched himself at Doomfist and battled him violently. Tracer knew how to end this and threw herself out the Window.

"Cheers love, the cavalry's here!" she shouted as she somersaulted over the behemoths. Tracer landed on the arm of Doomfist and unleashed forty rounds of ammunition straight into the gauntlet, disabling it. She rolled away as Fareeha sent him flying backward into the path of Winston who, in a fit of primal rage, punched the stunned villain in the side of the neck, cracking it.

It was silent as the group watched Winston regain his composure. Tracer looked at the crumpled mess that used to be Doomfist and sighed. The news team and several civilians ran out to thank them and Genji approached them.

"We should go." He said quietly.

"You're right, Genji" Winston said "Morrison is gonna kill us as it is"

"Wait, this wasn't a sanctioned operation?" said the newscaster behind them, her face contorted in confusion.

"We've done our job" replied Tracer, smiling.

The trio boarded their VTOL and took off. With a course set for Switzerland, they kicked back having accomplished a real win for Overwatch.

"Guys, Ana is hailing us." Said Winston.

Tracer got up from her chair and walked up to Winston who played the message. "Gerard Lecroix has been murdered by an assassin, I need you here now. I've cornered her, all I need is some support."

"No…" Tracer said in disbelief.

"First the Major, and now this?" Genji said, visibly frustrated by the news.

Winston remained calm and collected, he and Gerard hadn't seen eye to eye all the time but he was family. "Where are you, Ana?"

"His office in Numbani" she said, a shot could be heard ricocheting nearby. "Hurry! I can't keep them here forever!"

The large spire jutted distinctly above the Numbani skyline despite the many skyscrapers that inhabited the city. One side leaked smoke like an oil spill and the VTOL sped towards it.

"let me off first, I can get to Ana quickest" said Tracer

Winston nodded and lowered the doors. Tracer flew through the corridors, each one pocked with bullet holes. First a left, then a right. Up the stairs and right again, dead end. Recall. Left. At the end of this corridor was a commotion and Tracer grinned, bolting towards it. The office itself was a wreck, with twisted iron jutting out the side of a large hole and through it bled a thick smoke. Ana was slumped over the desk in the centre and tracer dashed towards it.

"Ana! You okay, love?" she lifted her head and gasped. A large piece of splintered glass had pierced the snipers eye and a deep gash marked the same side of her face. A loud hiss came from under the desk and Tracer backed away coughing and spluttering.

"Who's there?" she demanded holding her guns at the door. It opened and the body Gerard appeared, hanging with a single gunshot to the head and a noose around his neck. Tracer's eye's went wide with horror and was about to scream until she felt a blow strike the side of her head. She stumbled backwards towards the large hole, still dazed as the second blow landed, and the third and the fourth. She fell to the floor, looking out at the gash in the wall as the figure of a woman strutted towards it. Gracefully, she dived from the window and everything faded.

"And you don't remember anything?" Genji asked.

"No, nuthin' I got my arse handed to me, that's all I know" Tracer chuckled half-heartedly.

"How long 'till we're back, big guy?" She said, changing the subject.

"Look out the Window, you can see HQ now" Winston replied, fearing the lashings they'd get from Morrison.

"We should've heard from control by now, surely?" noted Genji, rising from the couch where Tracer lay.

Then, a flash. Followed by a noise that tore across the countryside. Then controls of the VTOL whined and shrieked as Winston battled to remain in control. Drinks and basketballs were thrown about the cabin along with Tracer who lacked the mass to stay grounded as the ship stalled and took nose dive.

"Winston, give it 'ere I can do this." Tracer said, yanking the gorilla out of the pilot seat and setting about regaining control of the craft.

They watched as her fingers danced across the dials. Finally, with a triumphant yell and a deft flick of the wrist the VTOL levelled off and sped off in the opposite direction.

The trio looked out at the small swiss town of Strauss, which lay in ruins.

"What happened?" Tracer gasped after a long and painful silence.

"I-I don't know." Replied Winston, his voice cracking slightly.

"We should go help at least!"

"No" Genji said at last, "look, it's Talon. They're aiding relief already."

"Probably blamed us too" added Winston.

Tracer said nothing, she was distraught, her eye's glistened with tears as she watched a group of Talon agents pull the body of a woman from the rubble of a collapsed home as the husband feel to his knee's daughter in hand.

Where do we go? She thought. What happens next? She wondered as the feeling of loss choked her up. She thought of the Captain and hoped he hadn't made it back from the states on time to get caught up in the blast. Tracer knew most of the others were away on missions, Reinhardt, she was glad, had retired not long after she joined. Mercy had gone to Russia to aid the defence of Vladivostok with Torbjorn. The others she didn't know, which terrified her. Tracer must have been thinking for longer than she realised because they were soon landing in Gibraltar, one of the secret Watchpoint bases. The sun blazed orange and a light Mediterranean wind kissed her skin. She stood as a cruise liner passed along the horizon, she watched it, wondering if it's Captain would feel as empty as she did in her position.

Genji put an arm on her shoulder and, she thought, he looked at her sympathetically. "Where will you go?" she said, turning to him.

"Numbani perhaps, it's probably the only place I could be accepted. Then again, perhaps I should just wander, there are lots of things I am yet to confront my friend."

Tracer hugged the cyborg, causing him to recoil slightly before returning the gesture. "You are a noble friend Tracer" he said softly. "Do not let todays event's stain that nobility."

Tracer sniffed and pulled away "Okay, mate I promise!"

Genji took the VTOL and left, meaning it was just Tracer and Winston left at the base. They sat with a cup of cocoa each and looked out of the window as the sun finally set on the base.

* * *

 **So that's that, a messy little tale about how Tracer became who she is and how Overwatch fell apart. The last two chapters I'm really not happy with and to be honest, I think it's because the scale was just too large so I'm going to be making my future stories much more like the first and second chapters. More focus, more character and more detail.**

 **Also totally got into uni so yeah, the hype is reaaal!**  
 **\- Cal**


End file.
